Fireplace andirons with auxiliary log packing means



Feb. 12, 1952 R. E. WELLMAN 2,585,523

FIREPLACE ANDIRONS WITH AUXILIARY LOG PACKING MEANS Filed Dec. 28, 1949 Russell E. We/lmah INVENTOR.

Patented Feb. 12, 1952 FIREPLACE ANDIRONS WITH AUXILIAR LOG PACKING MEANS Russell E. Wellman, Ottumwa, Iowa Application December 28, 1949, Serial No. 135,319

The present invention relates to improved Ways and means for systematically starting and effectively maintaining a fire, preferably made from logs or the like, in a domestic brick or equivalent-type fireplace and relies for novelty,

. broadly comprehended, on a fireplace characterized by unique andirons having facilities for racking and supporting upper and lower groups of logs in progressively ignitable relationship.

It is a matter of common knowledge that there are many and varied styles of andirons and fire dogs commonly in use in connection with brick and equivalent fireplaces. Ordinarily, however, the fire when utilizing logs, is built with the logs laid across or inclinedly supported on the customary horizontal grate bars of the andirons. The conventional andiron is characterized by a horizontal grate bar for supporting feet therebeneath and with forward and rearward detents or dogs and appropriate ornamental upright means at the outward or front end of said grate bar.

In carrying out the principles of the instant invention, instead of employing the conventional single grate andiron, a unique construction is adopted wherein, in addition to the usual low lying horizontal grate bar, a second grate bar is provided, the latter being detachably and.

J swingably mounted above the lower grate bar 1 whereby, through the medium of two andirons I;

made as stated, the usual or low lying grate bars support unlighted .logs and the added or auxiliary grate bars support logs which are initially ignited. Therefore, the burning sparks and hot particles from the upper cradled logs drop down and set the underlying logs afire. Under this arrangement, the result is to prolong the fire in the fireplace and to produce a more evenly regulated fire than where all the fuel is placed on one grate and rapidly burned for purposes of producing a fine looking flash fire.

Another objective is to provide andirons with elevated or auxiliary grate bars to support the upper set of logs which arrangement, by actual tests, proves that the fire will last 25 to 40 per cent longer and will produce a more effectively radiated heat when both upper and lower groups or sets of logs are burning.

Then, too, novelty is predicated upon a single andiron characterized by a horizontal grate bar having depending supporting feet and having vertically disposed front and rear dogs, the rear one being taller and provided with a hinging and supporting stud to accommodate and 4 Claims. (Cl. 126 298) hingedly and detachably support the auxiliary grate. bar unit, thus providing a distinctive andiron in which there exists a relatively stationary grate bar unit and a relatively swingable companion grate bar unit.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the accompanying sheetof drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Fig. 1 is a. perspective view, with the fireplace in phantom lines,-showing.the novel andirons andshowing the logs in place on both the upper and lower grate units;

Fig. 2 is likewise a perspective view showing that which is shown in Fig. l but only showing the logs racked in position on the lower grate bar unit; V

Fig. 3 is an end view of one of the andirons with a portion, at the juncture of the two units, broken away and shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view'showing the manner in which the upper or auxiliary grate bar unit may be swung from side to side in a horizontal plane.

Referring now to the drawings by distinguish- I ing-reference numerals and lead lines, the numerals-6 in Figs. 1 and2, denote a typical or common; type brick or equivalent fireplace in which insertable and removable andirons are commonly employed. Instead of using the singIegrate bar andirons as now manufactured and sold, the present concept has to do with the use of new type andirons. These are herein claimed separately and combinedly. It is felt, however, that it is necessary only to describe a single andiron inasmuch as they are duplicates of one another. Proceeding along this line of thought, each andiron is characterized broadly by a lower or main grate unit 8 and a complemental auxiliary grate unit, sometimes referred to as the upper unit, Ill. The lower unit 8 is characterized by a horizontal grate bar I2 having inverted V-shaped supporting feet, the rear ones beingdenoted at l4l4 and the outer or front ones by the numerals iii-46. The vertical member l8, which is relatively short, constitutes a 'detent or dog. The expression dog is used inasmuch as andirons are often known to many persons as fire dogs. The inward vertical or upright 20 is also a dog and this is somewhat higher or taller than the front dog 18. The upper end of dog 20 is reduced to provide. a stud 22 and a complemental 3i shoulder 24. The shoulder and stud serve to accommodate the socketed lower end portion of the auxilary grate bar unit l0. More specifiicially, this unit [0 comprises a substantially T- shaped construction characterized by a horizontal grate bar 26, the T or cross head portion 28 having an upstanding part 30 which forms a log dog and the lower depending portion 32 defining a sort of an adapter which is fitted swingably and detachably on the stud 22 to rest on the shoulder 24. The outer end of the grate bar 26 is upturned to provide a second relatively short log dog 34. The upper group of logs, denoted at A, are adapted to be cradled or racked in the auxiliary grate bar units i0|0. The lower batch or group of logs B will be racked or cradled in the lower grate bar units 8-8. The units 8 and It] may be used singly or collectively. That is to say, the units 10 may be completely detached from the units 8 whenever necessary or desired. Some folks will want to use merely the lower units and build the fire in the customary fashion. Others will prefer the improved mode recommended herein and which consists in stacking several logs A on one another and cradling same in the units In as shown at the top in Fig. 1. Then, and in addition, other logs B are racked in the lower grate units to underlie the logs A. Therefore,

in practice the logs A are first set on fire and as the burning particles and sparks drops down, they gradually ignite the logs B. As previously stated, by having logs burning in upper and lower racks or grate bar units the entire recess of the fireplace is charged with fire thus to produce a source of heat which radiates more effectively from the fireplace into the room. By

having this double duty fire, all of the logs are fully consumed, due to the intense heat developed and the licking of the flames from the lower logs against the top logs and more efficient all-around results are obtained along with the prerequisite, a saving in fuel, time and labor. It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An andiron comprising a lower grate unit embodying a horizontal grate bar having supporting feet, said grate bar having upwardly extending log retaining dogs mounted thereon, one of said dogs having a reduced shank on its upper end, and an upper grate unit having a dog-equipped horizontal grate bar and a depending socketed portion, said socketed portion being detachably and swingably mounted on said shank.

2. The structure defined in claim 1, wherein said one dog is of a greater height than the other dog.

3. In combination, a pair of complemental andirons adapted to occupy log supporting and retaining positions on the hearth of a fireplace, said andirons having lower horizontal grate bars spaced above the hearth, said grate bars having upwardly extending log retaining dogs mounted thereon, one of said dogs on each lower grate bar having a reduced shank on its upper end constituting a stud, and upper dog-equipped horizontal grate bars each having a depending socketed portion, the respective socketed portions being detachably and swingably mounted on their respective studs.

4. An andiron comprising a lower grate unit embodying a horizontal grate bar having supporting feet, said grate bar having upwardly extending log retaining dogs mounted thereon, and an upper grate unit having a depending portion and upwardly extending 10g retaining dogs, the depending portion being detachably and swingably connected to one of said first named retaining dogs.

RUSSELL E. WELLMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 27,640 Logan Mar. 27, 1860 115,476 Hunt May 30, 1871 300,059 Fisher June 10, 1884 567,786 Lewis Sept. 15, 1896 744,083 Low Nov. 17, 1903 1,128,358 Peake Feb. 16, 1915 2,057,659 Daniel Oct. 20, 1936 

